Gomer Pyle Had it Right!

Have you ever been delighted by an unexpected Christmas gift? How did that make you feel? That sudden surge of surprise, delight and excitement pumped you up. My favorite part of Christmas is watching my child open a gift she wasn’t expecting. Her eyes light up, a toothy smile pops on her face, and she yells “wow”!

Surprise, delight and excitement are also the best reactions you can get to your next presentation.

You know, Gomer Pyle had it right! “Surprise, surprise, surprise” was one of Gomer’s favorite saying on the popular 1960s television hit series, “The Andy Griffith Show”. And you need to surprise, delight and excite everyone who sits through one of your presentations.

You may be thinking, how do you surprise business audiences who have seen millions of presentations? Some of your listeners may be jaded, bored or uninterested in your topic. That means you have to try harder to get their attention. I recommend that you add one of these surprises to your next presentation:

1. SURPRISE: Open and close your speech in an unexpected way. If every speaker opens by thanking the audience, don’t. Skip the “thank you” and launch into something the audience cares about—a topic that directly affects them or solves their problems.

2. SURPRISE: Share an original story with an unpredictable twist. You want your audience to say, “Wow. I didn’t see that coming!” Not, “I know where she’s going with that tired story. I’ve heard that one a hundred times.” Think like you’re writing a murder mystery for NBC’s “Dateline” television news show!

3. SURPRISE: Be different, unique and entertaining. Build a memorable catch phrase into your presentation that is easy to repeat and remember. I heard a presentation by the owner of a marketing company. At the end of his talk, we were all yelling “bam”! That was the catch phrase he used throughout his speech so we would remember what his company does—Branding, Advertising and Marketing. “Bam” was fun to say. “Bam” was a way to involve the audience, be memorable and stand out from the other presenters (dry, boring talking heads).

For more business presentation tips, go to www.portercoachyou.com and sign up for my free business presentation tools.

#MeToo...Find and Amplify Your Voice

Hashtag #MeToo is empowering women to share their stories of harassment and sexual abuse on Twitter. To be honest, every woman does not have a sexual abuse or harassment story to tell. But every man and woman has a voice. As a communications coach, I’d like to give you a few tips to amplify your voice, no matter what story you have to tell.

The #MeToo social media movement is about finding and amplifying your voice. Since I coach business owners and professionals, my advice is for delivering business presentations. But feel free to use the three P’s to tell your personal story and amplify your voice—on any stage.

When you deliver your message, tell your story with POWER, PASSION and PERSUASION. Here are a few tips:

1. POWER – When you speak with confidence, your words carry more weight. Use direct, action words; vary your pace (how fast you speak) and adjust the volume (speak louder or softer, when you need to emphasize a point). Tip #1: Your voice is a powerful communications tool. Use it strategically!

2. PASSION – Don’t hold back your emotions. Your passion should shine through in your body language, gestures and in your voice. Speak with energy, enthusiasm and emotion. Stay in touch with your feelings and let your listeners know how strongly you care about your story/issue/message. Tip #2: Your hands, face and words should reflect your emotions, your passion!

3. PERSUASION – To make a difference, you have to change minds and hearts. The best way to influence your audience is to tell your story in way that makes your audience think “me too”. When your listeners can put themselves in your shoes, they can see your point of view. We all can relate to pain, loss and uncomfortable situations. Tip #3: It’s easier to persuade someone who can see themselves in your story!

These three P’s will amplify your voice and propel your message to the next level. When you use power, passion and persuasion in your presentation, your message has more impact.

For more business presentation tips, go to www.portercoachyou.com and sign up for my free business presentation tools.

Can Candy Make You a Better Presenter?

What’s your favorite candy? Snickers, Dove and Hershey chocolate bars put a smile on my face. I’ve even handed out Tic Tac candies to my audience, before starting a presentation. No, they didn’t need the sugar, but I wanted to drive home my message in a candy red Corvette. You can also make your message as memorable as Prince’s hit song, “Little Red Corvette”!

If candy can grab your attention like a fast car, so can T.I.C. T.A.C.S.—seven ways to pull in listeners and hold them, from your first words to your last. Try one of these T.I.C. T.A.C.S. in your next presentation. You can quickly engage any audience with a T.I.C. and make your message memorable with one or more T.A.C.S.

All eyes are on you, when you open a presentation with one, two or all three T.I.C.’s:
T – TEASE your audience
I – IGNITE curiosity
C – COMPELLING VISUALS

The “T” in T.I.C. stands for tease your audience in your opening. Don’t give away your main message too soon. If you jump into your main points immediately, you give your audience no reason to listen for the big finale. You want to entice the audience to come along for the ride. Like a good TV cliffhanger, make your listeners want to tune in for the rest of the show. A good tease gives the audience reasons to stay with you and tells them what they gain, if they do.

The “I” in T.I.C. stands for igniting curiosity. The best way to do that is to ask a surprising question. Throw your audience a pitch they aren’t expecting. You can frame a topic in an unexpected way that clicks their curiosity button. Questions that start with “Have you ever” or “imagine” pull your audience into your message and engage their curiosity.

And the “C” in T.I.C. stands for a compelling visual. Give your audience a compelling visual to help them visualize your message. You can share a personal story, slides, photos, video or a prop (like Tic Tac candy) to visually bring your message alive for your audience. Visuals help your listeners see the point you’re trying to make.

Your message will stick with the audience after your final words, when you close with one or more T.A.C.S.:
T – TAP into a bigger picture
A – ASK your audience to take action
C – CIRCLE back to your opening
S – SIGN OFF with a memorable slogan

To “T”, tap into a bigger picture, remind the audience how your message relates to their vision or values. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech ended on a high note and tapped into our values of fairness, justice and equality in a memorable way.

To “A”, ask your audience to take action, move your audience from passive listeners to engaged participants. Ask them to buy into your ideas, buy your product/services or turn your words into powerful good deeds. When your listeners take action, you know your message has taken root with them.

To “C”, circle back to your opening, remind your audience of a story or example you mentioned in your opening. You can also start a story in your opening and finish it at the end. That’s called a circular close. It ties your message up in a nice package.

To “S”, sign off with a memorable slogan, capture your message in an easy-to-repeat phrase that summarizes your main point and makes it unforgettable. Television advertisers use this powerful communications tool to perfection. Can you still hum TV jingles from decades ago? For your next presentation, see if you can come up with a catchy phrase that sums up your message in less than 10 words.

Make it easy for your audience to remember your message by closing with T.A.C.S. (tap into a bigger picture, ask your audience to take action, circle back to your opening or sign off with a memorable slogan).

Can candy make you a better presenter? Tic Tac candy can freshen your mouth and T.I.C. T.A.C.S. can make your message as unforgettable as your favorite candy or Prince’s “Little Red Corvette”!

Are your presentations getting the job done? Discover the six proven ways to connect with your audience and get them to take action in my free checklist, “Make Your Message Stick (Like Glue) to Any Audience”. To get audience connection and take action ideas, email to Rosalyn@portercoachyou.com